A pilot study of an exposure-based intervention in the ED designed to prevent posttraumatic stress disorder.

Early interventions to prevent PTSD have been limited in scope and effectiveness. This pilot study examines the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a model for brief preventive intervention: 1-session individualized exposure-based therapy delivered in the emergency department (ED). Eligible patients who experienced exposure to a traumatic event in the previous 24 hours were screened and assigned to assessment-only (n = 5) or intervention (imaginal exposure, n = 5) conditions.